SOEC Syngas Process Using CO2 Recycle and Reverse Water-Gas Shift

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing syngas production processes emit greenhouse gases and require significant reactor duty for endothermal steam reforming, leading to high carbon footprints and inefficiencies.

Innovation Solution

A process involving the autothermal combustion of methane with oxygen and steam to produce flue gas, followed by electrolysis to separate oxygen and hydrogen, and a reverse water-gas shift reaction to produce syngas, utilizing a Solid Oxide Electrolytic Cell (SOEC) to reduce emissions and fossil fuel consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If steam methane reforming is used to produce syngas, then syngas production is achieved, but significant CO2 emissions and high reactor duty are generated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesyngas productionVSAvoidCO2 emissions

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention captures CO2 emissions from the reforming process and uses them as feedstock in a reverse water-gas shift reaction to produce additional syngas. This converts the harmful CO2 byproduct into a useful product, eliminating emissions while enhancing productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of discarding CO2 emissions to atmosphere, the process recovers and reuses CO2 in the reverse water-gas shift reactor, transforming waste into valuable syngas components and achieving zero emissions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

2Power

If autothermal reforming with oxygen combustion is used, then reactor duty is provided for endothermal reforming, but flue gas emissions are released

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereactor dutyVSAvoidflue gas emissions

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The flue gas containing CO2 from oxygen combustion is captured and fed to the reverse water-gas shift reactor, converting the harmful emission into useful syngas and eliminating the need for separate carbon capture technology.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention merges the reforming process with CO2 utilization by integrating the reverse water-gas shift reaction, combining heat generation from combustion with syngas production from CO2 in a unified process system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If blue hydrogen labeling is applied after water gas shift, then hydrogen production is achieved, but carbon capture technology is required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehydrogen productionVSAvoidcarbon capture technology

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and removes CO2 from the process stream before hydrogen production, using it as feedstock for reverse water-gas shift, thereby eliminating the need for downstream carbon capture technology and simplifying the overall process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of producing hydrogen first and then capturing CO2, the invention inverts the approach by using CO2 as a feedstock to produce additional syngas and hydrogen, eliminating the need for separate capture technology.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This process achieves zero-emission syngas production with high quality, reducing CO2 footprint and eliminating the need for separate carbon capture technologies, while utilizing green hydrogen for CO2 hydrogenation.

Implementation Method 1

carrying out an electrolysis of a steam stream, preferably in a solid oxide electrolytic cell (SOEC), whereby steam is split into oxygen gas and hydrogen gas

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrolysis: Electrolysis

Implementation Method 2

carrying out a reverse water gas shift reaction between CO2 coming from step c) with H2 coming from step (e)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectReverse water-gas shift reaction: Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 3

cooling the flue gas coming from the previous step by heat exchange with a water stream which is thereby vapourised

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Implementation Method 4

condensing and removing water from the flue gas, coming from step b), thereby obtaining a mixture consisting essentially of CO2

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCondensation: Condensation

Data Source

PatentUS20250276903A1A zero emission process for producing syngas

Publication Date: 2025.09.04 POLITECNICO DI MILANO

AI summary

Process for producing syngas comprising the steps of:a) burning methane or natural gas with oxygen and optionally with water steam for producing flue gas comprising CO2 and H2O according to the following reaction:C⁢H4+2⁢O2→CO2+2⁢H2⁢O[1]b) cooling the flue gas coming from a) by heat exchange with a water stream which is thereby vapourised;c) condensing and removing water from the flue gas, coming from step b), thereby obtaining a mixture consisting essentially of CO2;d) carrying out an electrolysis of a steam stream in a solid oxide electrolytic cell (SOEC), whereby steam is split into oxygen gas and hydrogen gas according to the following reaction scheme:H2O(g)→H2+1/2⁢O2[2]e) separating and drying hydrogen gasf) carrying out a reverse water gas shift reaction between CO2 coming from step c) with H2 coming from step e) according to the following scheme:CO2+H2→CO+H2O.[3]